Improvement in harvester-rakes



F. CUNNINGHAM.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS CUNNINGHAM, OF GREEN MOUNT, PENNSYLVANIA.

IM PROVEM ENT IN HARVESTER- RAKES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 221,723, dated November18, 1879; application filed October 18, 1879.

tion, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertainsto make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in rakes for harvesters; and itconsists in hinging the rake to the outer end of the rake-arm, andconnecting to the rake an operating-rod, which rod has its movementscontrolled by a cam that is secured to the rake-track, so as to causethe rake to assume a position parallel to the knives as it approachesthem, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

Figure l is a side elevation of my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view ofthe same.

a represents the shaft, to which one or more rake-arms, c, are pivoted,and d is the raketrack. These parts may be constructed and operated inany of the well-known Ways.

Hinged, pivoted, or otherwise loosely attached to the outer end of thearm 0 is the rake e, and from this rake projects the arm g. Attached tothe rear end of this arm is the connectingrod h, which extends inwardalong the arm over and beyond the cam z' on the outer and lower part ofthe track (I. To the arm 0 are secured one or more guides, 0, for therod to pass through, so that it will always be held rigid and stiff, andthus be prevented from springing out to one side should any obstructionoccur, and cause the rake to be presented at an angle tothecutting-knife.

In the lower edge of the inner .end of the rod h is made the notch 1",which, as the rakearmslides down the front part of the track,

catches over the top edge of the cam i, and as the arin moves over thetop of the cam the rake e is caused by the rod h and arm g to swingaround into a line parallel with the cutting knife, and thus rake theuncut grain evenly to the knives and platform. As soon as the rod haspassed off the rear end of the cam t the rod ceases to affect the rakein so far as swinging it around is concerned; but as the rod slips oilthe cam the end of the rod catches against the stop 8, and thus locksthe rake rigidly in position in a line with the arm 0, and holds itthere until the arm has moved up over the track and again reached thecam. As the rod catches over the front end of the earn the end of therod is raised upward in its keeper it high enough to pass over the stop,when the rod can be forced in and out, according to the shape of thecam.

More than one cam i may be used, and

attached to different parts of the track.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. The combination of ,theoperating-shaft a and the rake-lever c, pivoted thereto, track d, hingedrake 6, arm g, connected to the rake and pivoted on the end of the lever0, arm h, for moving the rake, and cam i, the parts bein garranged tooperate substantially as shown.

2. In a harvester-rake, the combination of a rake-arm, a rake movablyattached thereto, a connecting-rod, cam, and stop, whereby the rake ismoved into line with the cutter and then automatically locked inposition while the arm is moving around up over the track, substantiallyas described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand andseal this 13th day of October, 1879. v

FRANCIS CUNNINGHAM.

Witnesses:

EDW. G. FAHNESTOGK, Enw. J. Cox.

